Escargo
by Ed3
Summary: Zelgadis reminices before his execution.


Escargo  
  
'The Hole' that's the cell where unruly or troublesome prisoners serve solitary confinement. Infamous within these prison walls, 'The Hole' is a simple room composed by a cemented floor, ceiling and walls. No air conditoner nor heating ducts were placed in this cell, a supposed punishment for those who got out of line. The cot and light (who often the guards would 'forget' to turn on at night leaving one inside the darkness of his mind and surroundings) were the most advanced pieces of technology this room held. The toilet was nothing but a bucket often left in there with you for days. Located as a third basement, multiple 'Holes' were built inside this prison after an outbreak of seven inmates, it took a week for the police to catch them. It took two months for them to get out of solitary confinement.  
  
Not a month ago I walked this prison gate's wearing the bright orange uniform, the uniform of a prisoner. Very much unlike the previous uniform I wore. The dark navy colors, military boots, hard helmet, the high powered sniper rifle and large white letters that adorned the back of my back; S.W.A.T.  
  
Inmate: Zelgadis Greywords  
  
Number: RP325811  
  
Saillune Correctional Facility  
  
Charged: 2 counts of manslaughter in the first degree  
  
Sentenced: Death by lethal injection  
  
There's a saying out there, I don't know where it came from or who was idiotic enough to utter the words but it made people study it, learn it and apply it to their everyday lives; "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." What a bunch of crap, when I was done with my made lemonade, it was still sour in the end. In the first trial I was judged guilty, I appealed, they refused. Funny thing was that capital punishment had been reinstated across the country a day before I was sentenced, and now I not only have the opportunity, 'but privilage' (the judge's words) to be the first one to be put down like a rabid dog.   
  
In this monarchy, surprisingly enough, we hold certain rights. Something about protectiong the people and trusting the Ruler of this country. Anyway, two of those are the right for public speech and to carry protection i.e. weapons. However, the government holds the ultimate right, it can kill us. Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune, Princess and future Queen for the country of Seillune, has decided that Zelgadis Greywords, a man she doesn't know, a man she will never meet, should be put to death.  
  
It was necessary for someone to be a scapegoat, she chose me. The news had been reporting how the warden and police were losing control of the inmates inside this prison for about two weeks, a race riot and gangs were on the brink of war. The way to regain control of the situation was a harsh punishment other than the 'Hole' for inmates. Thus the resurrection of capital punishment, a long list quickly appeared on the warden's desk and he was ecstatic, like a child in christmas, the sadistic bastard. 16 inmates, along with myself waited execution in the following half a year, luckily I'm due soon.   
  
Deathrow is in a different wing of the facility. However, I've gotten to the habit of making the 'Hole' my second home. I broke an inmate's jaw and sent him to the hospital two days ago, guess he shouldnt've picked a fight with someone with years of military training.   
  
The gullibility of the people inside this false city, I was a hero once you know? Oh yes, a military hero. Almost what every little boy wants to be when they grow up, to be a hero and help people, strangers, family, it wouldn't matter who they were because to them you would be a 'hero'. And I lived it, though only for a bit. After I left the military, I implied my skills in the police academy, quickly I advanced through the ranks, surpassing the expectations of my superior's I actually was awed by other cadets and was a bit full of myself i gotta admit. When we graduated, I quickly grabbed a cushy job as the same as my military background, I became a sniper with the SWAT team of the most coveted police department in the country. Countless missions and assigments had I gotten my target and the more I was on the job, the better I got.   
  
I prouded myself on my intelligence, quick thinking and ability to assess the situation and to determine the best course of action given the circumstances and options of the situation.   
  
It was my decision to pull the trigger.  
  
Automatically I held my breath as I was 100 yards away from my targets, centered the nozzle of the rifle to the back of his head, blood pumped a bit faster as the adrenaline of feeling the cold steel against my hands and the anticipation of the loud noice that followed after pulling the trigger. The feeling of regret and sadness quickly subdued that happy feeling everytime I got my weapon in my hands, I was about to lose someone close to me. I couldn't back out though, my pride and logical thinking forced me to pull the trigger.  
  
Thus I pulled it.  
  
Everything went into slow motion from that moment on. Her eyes locked into mine as she gave me a final sad and heartbroken smile behind the puff of smoke made by the gunpowder of the bullet. Traveling at 200 mph, the bullet pierced through his skull, the impact destroyed his brains and exited through his forehead, exploting half of his face off, bathing her and her clothes in his blood and insides. Continuing the path I had layed for the bullet, it also entered her through her left lung, embeded itself deep inside her heart, and exited through her back, she hit the floor dead.  
  
It was so poetic that I hated it all.  
  
I fell into depression as I looked at her vacant eyes, her laughter would no longer ran through my ears and her scent would no longer grace me when she would walk into the room. For the second time on that night, I made a second decison.  
  
Taking the beretta I had as a back-up weapon, I placed it inside my mouth, and pulled the trigger.   
  
A second sound of a gun rang that night, I expected to be dead but no bullet came out. I tried again, and again, and again until I heard the 'click' of the trigger hitting against an empty shell. In a franctic state I looked inside the clip and found what I had feared, blanks. That joker had played a final joke on me.  
  
It was not long that the rest of the police found the two dead bodies and me laying next to them with the smoking gun in my posession. Whoever said that all heroes had a happy ending, then again a hero is seldom recognized as one if one doesn't know the situation and often are villains considering heroes, because of people's gullibility.  
  
I hate remembering but what else can I do but dwell in the past, the seconds are ticking away faster than I imagined as I am left with thirty minutes of life.   
  
The warden came in five minutes later, that sadistic smile played across his lips as he talked.   
  
"Who's going to pick up your body?"  
  
"My Mother, Zelas Greywords."  
  
"And your posessions?"  
  
"Same."  
  
"Not very talkative tonight are you Zelgadis?"  
  
"Lack of intellectual stimuli, that's all."  
  
"Not very intelligent decision, killing two people in cold blood with your rifle now was it?"  
  
Furious, I suckered punched the bastard tossing him at least five feet back. Luckily, the guards hit my stomach and sides with their batons, or they would've had to charge for for a third murder.   
  
Gasping for another breath they picked me up and cleaned me up, they wanted me to look good for my big finalee i guess. We passed through the remaining cells in the basement, some were yelling obsenities, while other's were cheering about my upcoming death. The same reception carried into the secondary basement, all the way into the chamber.  
  
"First, the inmate's given sodium panthatol, the same anesthetic used in hospitals for major surgery, then a massive dose of pancuronium bromide that paralized the diaphragm, then potassium chloride to stop the heart." I tried making conversation as I entered the glass cage.  
  
"Lay down."  
  
He ordered me before leaving the room to stand behind the glass window and among the remaining spectators. I saw the priest being guidied outside as they swabbed my right arm to insert the neddle. Funny, as to how they fear me getting an infection before being put to death.  
  
The warden's voice flowed through the speakers.  
  
"You can make any statement you like"  
  
It was my time now, I had the audience in my grasp and I thought of making something poetic about them being the evil ones and how i should be freed. I even gotta admit that a small part of me wanted to receive a pardon from the queen at the last moment, but I knew nothing like that was going to happen. I realized I was going to die as soon as I saw deep inside the pair of ruby eyes that had been watching over me ever since I got inside the academy. I was engulfed by the sadness her eyes portrayed, I wanted to look away, but I couldn't, something kept my eyes locked with her's. And I vowed to keep that small connection between us even after I had left this plane of existance. Then I spoke.  
  
"I want my family to know that I love them, and I believe that this punishes them more than it punishes me. I'm so sorry for the three murders that i did. And i wish that by killing me today I can atone for my decision on pulling the trigger.  
  
"My time on earth was far too short. Maybe too short for me to get everything right, but I'm ready to move on."  
  
I'ts funny, but before my execution they asked me what I wanted for a last meal, I thought of making it complex, expensive, disgusting or maybe something I've never had before. Traveling in the military gave me a wide variety of different choices of food but I never visited France nor ever had snail as a meal, I guess I should've ordered Escargo instead of a burger, what do you think?  
  
***  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the 'Slayers' characters. Not any of the content from 'OZ', I'm merely using both to create a fictional story.  
  
It's been a while since I wrote something, lack of imagination and life getting too hectic, thus the fic was inspired by an episode of 'OZ' two weeks ago. Yes i know Zelas is not truly Zel's mom, but I really like the idea of those two being family members. I have a few ideas floating around my head thus i need feedback if you would like me to continue, any type of input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.  
  
-Ed 


End file.
